Co-manager Paul Lawson praised Banks o’ Dee for digging in as they got back to winning ways with a narrow victory against Formartine United.
Jevan Anderson’s early goal was all that separated the sides at Spain Park as Dee bounced back following defeat to Forres Mechanics on Saturday.
Victory means the Aberdeen side remain third in the Breedon Highland League table, six points behind leaders Brora Rangers having played a game more than the Cattachs.
Dee are two points adrift of Brechin City in second, but the Hedgemen have two games in hand.
Lawson said: “Conditions played a big part, but we got ourselves in front and I thought we defended really well, credit to the boys for that.
“We knew in the second half with the wind behind them Formartine would throw plenty at us, it was a night for grinding it out and we had to dig in at times.
“It was a test for the boys, it was important we bounced back after Saturday and we did that.
“We spoke before the game about the importance of keeping a clean sheet so it was good to get that.
“We’ve spoken about doing our job and if results elsewhere bring us back into it (the title race) then so be it.”
Fast start for Dee
With the wind behind them in the first half Dee had early pressure and broke the deadlock after eight minutes.
Michael Philipson’s corner from the left was met by Mark Reynolds at the back post, his header was flicked goalwards by Anderson and the ball bounced down off the crossbar and took a touch off goalkeeper Ewen Macdonald on its way into the net.
It wasn’t long before Formartine had a good chance to equalise when Julian Wade intercepted a short pass back from Reynolds, although the striker beat advancing goalkeeper Daniel Hoban with his effort, the ball went wide of the target.
Wade also looped a header narrowly over the crossbar in the 19th minute, while Dee threatened again with Mark Gilmour’s blast from 30 yards flashing over and Macdonald getting down well to his left to repel Lachie MacLeod’s netbound header.
Visitors look for leveller
In the second half United enjoyed more pressure, particularly in the last quarter of the contest.
The closest they came to equalising was from two Glenn Murison efforts. His first on 74 minutes was a strike from 25 yards which went narrowly wide and seven minutes later the midfielder’s 18-yard overhead kick following Tyler Mykyta’s corner landed on the roof of the net.
Defeat ends a three-match winning run for Formartine who remain sixth in the table.
Manager Stuart Anderson said: “There was nothing in the game really, we lost a goal from a set play which was the difference.
“The players gave everything but we just couldn’t get the ball in the net.
“It’s a very difficult away game for us and we more than matched Banks o’ Dee so it was a decent performance, but it’s the small margins in the game we need to do better with.”
Brechin City 1-1 Keith
Brechin City’s title aspirations were dealt a heavy blow after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Keith at Glebe Park.
City led at the interval through Ewan Loudon but substitute Brody Alberts pulled a goal back for Keith with 20 minutes remaining to see the Maroons leave with a share of the spoils.
The first chance of the game came Brechin’s way after six minutes when a Lewis Martin shot went narrowly past the post.
Brechin continued to press in the early stages in search of the opening goal but the visitors came close after 27 minutes when City keeper Lenny Wilson had to race from his line to produce a point-blank save to deny Liam Duncan.
However City hit straight back and scored the opening goal when Loudon picked up the ball at the edge of the box and drilled home a left-foot drive.
The home side kept up the pressure and they were unlucky not to double their lead on the stroke of half-time when Dayle Robertson glanced a header just past the post.
Brechin continued on the offensive at the beginning of the second half and Keith keeper Craig Reid brought off a great save from a Robertson header.
However, they were shocked in the 70th minute when Alberts fired a blistering right-foot drive past Wilson.
Brora Rangers 7-0 Strathspey Thistle
Brora Rangers extended their lead at the top of the Breedon Highland League to four points after cruising to a 7-0 victory over Strathspey Thistle at Dudgeon Park.
The Jags were dealt an early blow when former Cattachs striker Paul Brindle limped off with an injury, with Liam Shewan brought on in his place.
Brora took the lead on 18 minutes when Max Ewan drove down the right flank before cutting the ball back for Shane Sutherland to tap home from close-range.
The home side threatened for a second goal two minutes later when Gary Pullen forced a smart save from Euan Storrier with a stinging drive from the edge of the box, before Connor Bunce nodded wide from the resulting corner.
Sutherland was thwarted by Storrier with a shot on the turn following Bunce’s delivery, however Brora were not to be denied on 26 minutes.
Former Caley Thistle forward Sutherland was provider on this occasion with a neat flick which sent Craig MacKenzie clean through on goal, and he slipped a composed finish past Storrier.
The Cattachs made it three just two minutes later after Cameron Lisle was dispossessed in midfield, with the ball moved quickly out wide to Bunce who crossed for Sutherland to nod home.
Strathspey had a rare glimpse of goal on 39 minutes when the ball broke to Scot Docherty on the edge of the box, but he could not keep his effort down.
The Cattachs had time to add a fourth with three minutes remaining before the interval, with MacKenzie this time doubling his tally with a tap-in at the far post.
No let up from league leaders
Both sides made a raft of changes at the interval however there was no let up from Brora, with Ewan turning home a Sutherland cutback within 30 seconds of the restart.
Steven Mackay’s side continued to seek more goals, with Sutherland unable to convert from close-range after being played in by Bunce.
Sutherland was once again unable to clinch his hat-trick on the hour mark after he was played in by a sublime ball from Ross Hardie, but he clipped an effort wide of target.
The goal of the night arrived courtesy of Bunce on 71 minutes when he powered an exquisite strike high into Storrier’s left-hand corner from 25 yards.
Sutherland had cut a frustrated figure as he looked to secure his hat-trick, but after a number of near misses he finally ended the wait on 75 minutes with a fine chipped finish over Storrier.
Rothes 2-3 Forres Mechanics
Forres Mechanics were 3-2 Moray derby winners against a battling Rothes at Mackessack Park.
First-half goals from Mark McLauchlan and Calum Frame were added to by debutant Lewis Mackenzie’s goal at the start of the second half as Forres raced into a 3-0 lead.
Robbie Urquhart got the hosts back in the game before Scott Mutch pulled another back in the 90th minute.
McLauchlan opened the scoring on 16 minutes when ex-Forres man Andrew Skinner scuffed a clearance into his path and he beat keeper Martin MacKinnon at his near post.
Rothes’ first chance arrived on 35 minutes when Forres keeper Jack Robertson, on loan from Cove Rangers, tipped an effort from Jake Thomson wide.
Two minutes later and it was 2-0 to the visitors. McLauchlan played Frame in and he drilled across the keeper and into the corner.
The game was seemingly decided as a contest just four minutes after the restart when Mackenzie broke through the Rothes defence and hammered in for 3-0.
But Rothes, much improved after going three behind, pulled one back when Jake Thomson’s corner was headed in by Urquhart from close range.
The Speysiders should have reduced the deficit further just seconds after the restart when Ross Logan’s effort was blocked after a smart save from Robertson.
Gordon MacNab hit the side-netting on 75 minutes after a clever Skinner free-kick.
Mutch grabbed another goal back for Rothes – heading home from close range as the game entered the 90th minute – but Forres held on to win.
Deveronvale 1-3 Fraserburgh
Fraserburgh fought back from a first-half deficit to totally control the second 45 minutes by scoring three times and hitting the woodwork on two other occasions.
Ben Hermiston had the first effort on goal after seven minutes when he pulled an angled drive wide of the target before the home side opened the scoring three minutes later when Jack Mitchell side-stepped a defender to fire low beyond Joe Barbour.
Aidan Sopel came within inches of equalising midway through the half when his 16-yard drive drifted just wide with Ethan Hopkinson beaten.
The Vale keeper then brilliantly beat a net-bound Jamie Beagrie effort to safety as Broch upped the pace.
Vale should have doubled their advantage just before the break when Mitchell slipped the ball beyond Barbour but the effort trickled past the post.
Broch equalised within three minutes of the restart when Hopkinson failed to deal with a Scott Barbour corner and the ball landed in the net.
The away side took the lead four minutes later when Barbour and Fraser Mackie combined to set-up Logan Watt who found the bottom corner of Hopkinson’s net from 14 yards.
The away side increased their advantage after 66 minutes when Aberdeen loanee Fraser Mackie fired high into the net after beating the offside trap.
Things became harder for Vale as substitute Adam Reid was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Ross Aitken with 15 minutes remaining.
Liam Strachan and Connor Wood also both hit the inside of the post for the visitors, while Vale assistant manager Grant Noble was also red carded in the final minute for dissent.
Wick 1-2 Clachnacuddin
Clachnacuddin returned to winning ways with a 2-1 victory against Wick Academy in difficult conditions at a blustery Harmsworth Park.
The Lilywhites went down 4-2 against title challengers Brechin City on their last league outing at the start of the month but bounced back with a win against the Scorries, who have won only once in their last 12 league games.
Troy Cooper fired the visitors ahead with only nine minutes on the clock before adding a second eight minutes later when cutting inside and bending the ball into the far corner of the net.
Clach were unable to add to their tally before the interval with Wick goalkeeper Lewis Gallacher making a smart save to deny James Anderson in the 41st minute.
Wick brought on Mark Macadie and Jayden Bremner for Euan Kennedy and Matthew Aitkenhead as time ticked down in the second half as they searched for a way back into the contest.
Scott Davidson had a chance to make it 3-0 to Clach in the closing stages but Gallacher made another good stop.
Instead it was Wick who got on the scoresheet in the fourth minute of injury time through Kyle Henderson but the Lilywhites held on for all three points.
Next up for Clach is a trip to Spain Park to take on Banks o’ Dee on Saturday, while Wick host Forres Mechanics.
Conversation